Turkish historian denies Armenian mass grave claims

According to the results of the carbon tests, it has been proven that bones in graves, claimed to have been a mass grave of the Armenians in Nusaybin town of southeastern city of Mardin, were in fact bones dating back to 257-597 B.C., Prof Dr Yusuf Halacoglu, chairman of the Turkish History Society (TTK), said on Wednesday [23 May].

Halacoglu and Prof David Gaunt from Swedish Stockholm Soederntoern University carried out researches in Nusaybin and the samples were underwent laboratory tests in Ankara University.

"The soil and ceramic analyses indicated that they were dating to 53 B.C. - 227 A.D. A third sample was dating back to 63-383 B.C.," Halacoglu told a press conference in Ankara.

Halacoglu noted that the tests were carried out despite the mentioned place was a Roman grave.